Thursday, October 23, 2014

The feelings of panic are as bad as
ever – so they clearly have nothing to do with dental appts or
delivery of packages of yarn. I got nothing whatsoever done yesterday
except breakfast, lunch, tea, supper, a little expedition with my
husband, and sewing some elastic into the cuffs of his bed socks
which had become dangerously loose.

Today our niece is coming to lunch and
to pick up Archie's old computer. I may have mentioned that
transaction – he has acquired a big, heavy, fancy one for advanced
game-playing, in anticipation of his 18th birthday next
week. Our niece's one is tottering towards the grave, so she will now
have Archie's (which is not really “old” at all). A happy
arrangement.

It should cheer and steady me to see
her. She is a wedding guest, too – the bridegroom's first cousin
once removed, indeed – and she still has to go shopping for a
dress whereas I just have to wrap up presents. She hoped to wear one out of the cupboard, like me, but says
it doesn't fit any more. Hard to believe – she doesn't carry a
spare ounce.

Jan, your report about the church where
the wedding will be, is wonderful. I will forward it to Rachel, along
with the article about Hilda and Michael. Some of my children read
this blog some of the time, but Rachel, I think, least of all.

I finished Archie's swatch yesterday,
and today will take meticulous measurements and – why not? – cast
on. I also did another scallop for the Unst Bridal Shawl, and mustn't
be tempted to abandon it. It was hard to start again after finishing
Rams & Yowes. One a day will get me there in plenty of time –
but I mustn't slacken.

Now, VK.

I would be terribly grateful to have
your verdict on the Knowledgeable Knitter, Patience. (And I love
writing to you, because P. is my favourite Gilbert & Sullivan,
closely followed by the Gondoliers and Trial by Jury and the good old
Mikado and you are the only real-life Patience I have ever known.)
There are some other mildly tempting titles on the VK book page,
especially, perhaps, Mucklestone's Fair Isle book.

There are lots of really good cables in
this issue. I'm having serious trouble locating the item-number in
some cases, but I think I'm right in saying that I love the little,
cropped No. 2 and am extravagantly impressed by both 7 & 8.
Indeed, if Archie thinks the madelinetosh Composition Book Grey is
too purple, I can see it winding up as one of those. Five stitches to
the inch, for both. I ought to be able to achieve that. Maybe I
already have.

The cover pattern, No. 22, by Marie
Wallin in Rowan Kid Classic, is also wonderful. The effect is
brocade-like (as it says) and I had to look at the chart carefully to
see whether it obeys the Fair Isle limitation of having only two
colours per row – but I think it qualifies. I have often admired
Wallin's patterns for Rowan, never knit one. This pattern, as given,
looks too close-fitting for my taste (love my Relax) but that doesn't
mean the stitch pattern couldn't wind up as a vest.

And in the pages showing yarns in the
skein, I loved this
one from Ancient Art Fibres. A Bluefaced Leicester – I knit
with that once, and it is indeed delectable. How does this one look
when knit? Is it strong enough for a sock without any reinforcement?
Lots of nice things to think about.

This is not related to current discussions but I enjoyed this post wondering to say Happy Birthday in Ancient Greek.LisaRRhttp://sententiaeantiquae.com/2014/10/22/how-to-say-happy-birthday-in-ancient-greek/

If the Composition Book Grey is too purple for Archie's tastes, I have an alternate colourway I can recommend. It is a deep, rich brown Madelinetosh colour called Twig. I've just cast some on for a hat for my brother and it is a very guy kind of colour.